Tuesday, 27 August 2013

When J. Christopher
Dunn started his recent blog with: “Do you dislike asking for stuff? Do you get
all wigged-out and feel it’s self-serving to ask for something you need or to a
lesser extent want?” He had me. This IS me, personally and professionally. So I
don’t have any problem giving him a Debby Barnes Voice-Over Rah-Rah! for his Voice-Over blog: “The
Power of Asking”.

Mr. Dunn not only
identifies with how difficult asking questions of clients can be, he aptly outlines how he goes about asking these questions himself. (His
examples are really helpful.) I appreciate his insights. What he writes about Client Information,
Final Production Copy and Words of Praise is a needed reminder of the kinds of professional questions we should always be asking. Rah-Rah! Mr. Dunn. These tips are handy. Asking never felt so unquestionably good!

Tuesday, 20 August 2013

So much of what I read
on a daily basis really resonates with me. And I can get quite caught-up in
identifying with what the writer has written. I ponder their particular views,
what they experience, how they feel about what they experience, how they use those
experiences, not to mention others’ responses to those feelings and/or
experiences. Phew!

Needless to say, there’s a lot to get caught-up in. So my Debby Barnes Voice-Over Rah-Rah! always
has a reason to be cheering for someone who's got something meaningful to
say. There’s much to be gleaned from someone else’s life, their stories,
thoughts, feelings and experiences. Let’s face it, a unique perspective can be
really helpful. And it's a bonus when they offer sound advice as well. Take Otishia "Ms. Tish" Emmens for example. I really
dig her VO Kryptonite article that Voices.com’s CMO Stephanie Ciccarelli
comments about and graciously showcases through the site's VOX Daily.

As Voice-Over professionals, we have to be all about our reads and expressing them in a unique way, so I'm sure we can all appreciate Ms. Tishs' helpful hints. Getting tongue-tied and
tripping over words while you're reading a script is a downright Kryptonic nuisance. So she encourages
us to keep this at bay by reading out-loud every day. And she suggests being creative while we do it. She’s also a real advocate
for changing-it-up by volunteering to read for the blind or for literacy programs. I particularly love Ms.
Tish's line: “Just as Superman's goals were to save innocent people from
the evil of the world, the voice over's job is to be just as diverse in
rendering their voice to heal, educate and entertain.”As a Voice-Over Talent
myself, I’m a big proponent of reading-out-loud on a daily basis
in order to hone my craft. And I look forward to volunteering my voice in some capacity as well.

Yeah, I agree with Ms. Tish: "If we aren’t practicing,
we’re not perfecting!" So Ms. Tish and Voices.com’s Stephanie Ciccarelli are
getting a Debby BarnesVoice-Over Rah-Rah! from this ‘cheerleader’.

Tuesday, 13 August 2013

I was a middle
school and high school cheerleader for what seemed like forever. Rah-Rahand all that. I loved it and I didn’t want it
to end. So I got all warm and fuzzy recently when a loving and insightful
friend told me she thinks I’m still side-line cheering today. Huh? Yeah. The
cheerleader in you just reveals itself in more quiet, personal and unassuming
ways now. Hmmm. This gave me pause. She might be right. I guess my Debby BarnesRah-Rah’s! are
still being heard. Cheering and/or encouraging people is in my bones. Being a
cheerleader never really did end!

I mention this because I continually read about how
essential it is for me to start blogging in order to enhance my online presence
and drive more ‘traffic’ to my website for better SEO (Search Engine
Optimisation) results. (I’m a small business, after all. I need all the
positive attention I can get. And this will hopefully lead to more great connections and ultimately more VoiceOver jobs,
right?) But every time I was faced with the blog reality, I honestly bristled.
Yuk. It’s not me, I’d say. I just can’t. I won’t. I shouldn’t. I mustn’t. It
feels all too narcissistic.(This is the
kind of unrelenting head and heart stuff that plagued me day after day while I
considered the blog possibility.) I mean, I can read, consider, comment and
big-up those who are writing their particular online journals, if you will. But
writing one myself or doing something similar is not for me. No.

First of all, in the beginning, I didn’t really get the
‘blog’ thing. Wait – you mean certain people actually write down what they’re
thinking and/or have experienced in their lives or businesses then post it online in order to
let everyone else read it and comment about it? And it can be beneficial for
them, their businesses and their readers, not to mention their SEO? And it encourages a healthy
exchange of thoughts and ideas from people all over the world? Right. You mean
it’s an educational connecting point, of sorts; one that others can enjoy,
identify with, learn from, or apply after reading their blog? Wow. In other
words, it can be a win-win all ‘round? Yes.

Well, at the risk of jumping-into a game that’s already in
play; I’m jumping-in. First of all, because I love life’s win-wins. And second
of all, because all games need players, all players need cheerleaders and all
stadiums need spotlights. So from now on I’m going to be cheering others on with
my particular Rah-Rah! posts. I’m going to shine my spotlight on those informational
accounts that in my humble opinion are fresh, relevant, considerate and highly
beneficial for every one’s highest good inside and outside the Voice-Over ‘stadium’.‘The Voice You Want To Get To Know’ wants to get to know
YOU and wants others to too.

So with my Debby BarnesVoice-Over Rah-Rah! I’ll be cheering for
you and what you’re sharing. And I’ll be holding virtual pom-poms while I do
it!

About Me

When Debby Barnes jumped-into the Voice-Over industry, she jumped-in with years of vocal education and experience, and a hungry heart to serve clients' VO needs. (She landed IVR, Promo and Video
Narration work right out-of the gates.) She's still as hungry as ever and committed to
staying current within the industry while offering clients the professional
Voice-Over work they want, when they want it.

Clients say she has a compelling customer-friendly voice that's warm, clear
and engaging, so she believes she's got a voice you want to get to know. She's eager to say
what you want said with her rich, polished, friendly, amusing, empathetic and
trustworthy Standard Non-Regional, North American voice. And she'd be delighted to meet your need with her particular read. So if you've got something you want her to talk convincingly about, she's your gal! www.debbybarnes.com